Chapter 1
Innovative Problem-Solving
Innovation Under Constraint:
Turning Empty Canvases into Strategic Advantages
Challenge
How do I...
create excitement for something that doesn’t fully exist yet?
When I first sat down to wireframe the homepage, I found myself staring at a blank canvas thinking, “How do I create excitement for something that doesn’t fully exist yet?”
I was tasked with designing a homepage for a Web3 game that wasn't fully developed yet.
The constraint was severe: we had only a concept teaser video and extremely limited engineering resources to work with. No game assets, no screenshots, no gameplay footage—just ideas and a vision that wasn't connecting with users.
Even more challenging was our primary goal: rather than selling a finished product, we needed to inspire others to join us in building the game.
The Impact
I transformed this crisis through three strategic moves:
First, diving deep into competitors and user psychology to uncover hidden opportunities;
Second, drive a bold design pivot that challenged conventional wisdom;
And finally, turning our resource constraints into unique advantages.
These efforts not only saved the project but exceeded expectations, achieving an 85% positive feedback rate in user testing.
1
+
2
+
3
=
Result
Facing the Empty Canvas
When Traditions Won’t Work
I began by researching other Web3 game websites and noticed they all followed a similar pattern: a striking landing page with a prominent CTA button, followed by sections highlighting key features. But this approach wouldn't work for us - we simply didn't have enough to showcase.
Uncover Hidden Opportunities through Deep User Research
I remember sitting in my office one evening after another disappointing user testing session, staring at a whiteboard full of failed solutions. My heart was racing a bit as I realized we were running low on both time and options. But then I started thinking, "What if we're coming at this all wrong? Instead of telling users about our concept, how can we make them feel it?"
This led me to dive back into our concept testing videos, and I noticed something interesting - while users were skimming past our written explanations, they were genuinely excited when watching our teaser clips. Their eyes would light up at certain moments, particularly when discovering new game worlds.
That night, I stayed late, rewatching every user interview, searching for patterns we'd missed. That’s how this deep dive revealed this crucial insight: users weren't just interested in our game mechanics - they were captivated by the feeling of discovering new worlds. This became the foundation for our new approach.
Rethinking the Conventional Approach
From Showcasing to Experiencing
Looking at our concept teaser, I thought,
“ What if instead of trying to sell a product, we focus on selling a vision? ”
“ What if our biggest constraint could become our greatest strength? ”
Instead of trying to explain our concept, we could let users experience it.
I remembered the marketing 5A model (Aware, Appeal, Ask, Act, Advocate) that drives behavior change. For our specific needs, I realized we needed to create our own funnel: Aware → Attract → Discuss → Action
That led me to a bold vision: transforming our entire landing page into an interactive game preview visitors could engage with immediately.
Bringing the Vision to Life
Inspiration Meets Innovation
The next morning, I scheduled a one-on-one call with the CEO to discuss my unconventional idea.
"Instead of telling people about our world, we'll give them a taste of it from the moment they arrive," I explained, showing how visitors could interact with different frequency elements that would reveal aspects of the game world.
Drawing inspiration from how Netflix previews stories with a combination of visuals and minimal text, we could create something that would intrigue visitors enough to want to learn more.
However
The Designer’s Spark:
When Cinematic Art Meets Web Design
I was halfway through responding when a seemingly unrelated memory surfaced—the mesmerizing opening of "Dune: Part Two" I'd watched the previous weekend.
"Actually," I said, changing direction mid-sentence, "I think we need something more. Have you seen the new Dune film?"
His puzzled expression told me to continue.
Opening Line from Dune 1
Opening Line from Dune 2
Strategic Vision
Crafting an Experience instead of Just a Website
"The film opens with this powerful narration about survival on Arrakis. Before you see anything, that voice prepares you mentally for the world you're about to enter."
I quickly sketched a new flow: a stark, atmospheric pre-landing page with a single, powerful statement about the frequency-based world, followed by our interactive experience.
"This gives us a one-two punch," I explained with growing excitement. "First, we mentally prime visitors with the core concept. Then, we let them experience it through interaction. By the time they reach our call to action for joining Discord, they're already mentally invested in the world."
The Innovative Problem-Solver’s Victory
Turning Constraints into Opportunities
I began by researching other Web3 game websites and noticed they all followed a similar pattern: a striking landing page with a prominent CTA button, followed by sections highlighting key features. But this approach wouldn't work for us - we simply didn't have enough to showcase.
The Unexpected Victory
Weeks later, as we launched the website, I watched the analytics with nervous anticipation. Would visitors understand this unconventional approach, or would they bounce in confusion?
The results exceeded our wildest expectations. Not only did visitors spend significantly more time on the site than industry benchmarks suggested they would, but our Discord sign-ups surpassed our quarterly goal within the first two weeks.
Most tellingly, the messages from new community members often referenced specific elements from our interactive landing page—proof they hadn't just visited the site but had truly engaged with our world concept.
What began as a seemingly impossible design challenge—creating excitement for a game that didn't exist yet—had transformed into our greatest strength. By focusing on experience rather than assets, we'd created something that stood out in the crowded Web3 gaming space.
Sometimes, I realized, the most creative solutions emerge not despite constraints, but because of them.